Australia Post just sent out this comms:
These times really are unlike anything we’ve seen before and as you know, our network continues to be under increased pressure with parcel volumes at Christmas levels. And this is amplified in Victoria where we continue to manage a heavily reduced workforce due to the impact of the Delta strain.
The safety of our people is our highest priority, one which we will not compromise on, and in these circumstances we have had to make some difficult decisions for our Greater Melbourne Metro operations only which will impact you
We can assure you services provided for Express Post, Premium, Startrack Express, domestic and international letters remain unchanged across our network, as does processing for all international inbound and outbound. Street Post Boxes (SPBs) will also continue to be collected.
Post Offices will remain open for all usual business, and collections in regional Victoria and all other states remain the same.
For eParcel and Parcel Post, all pickups, collections and business lodgements in Greater Melbourne Metro will be paused for five days, from 12.01am Friday 1 October to 12.01am Wednesday 6 October.
Normal medical shipments (normally lodged Parcel Post) will still be accepted subject to confirmation and by arrangement.
Our teams nationally will continue to operate, with deliveries continuing every day including weekends, and we will leverage support from other states to assist our team in Melbourne to remain safe and return to a safe and manageable level of parcel volumes.
We’re sorry for the inconvenience
We do sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this may place on you and your customers. We fully appreciate the recent pause we had a few weeks ago was challenging for you and again thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate these challenges together.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries via your Account Manager and continue to check auspost.com.au/service-updates for the latest information on impacts across our network.
Stay safe,
Gary Starr
Executive General Manager
Business, Government & International
Given the delays of the last few weeks it was clear they were not clearing the backlog.
With online key to the survival of plenty of retailers, I suspect there will be plenty frustrated by this move.
They did this in Sydney a few weeks back. It didn’t make any noticeable improvement, although the Express (overnight) delivery parcel I’d waited two weeks for from a few suburbs away did arrive as part of the backlog clearance.
And Melbourne a few weeks back, too.
I appreciate they have challenges. But, they are challenges they could have foreshadowed. The message to Aussie shoppers right now is to not shop online, which should concern governments.